Keyboard interlock



Aug. 25, 1953 H. T. AVERY KEYBOARD INTERLOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May5, 1951 INV ENTOR haro/d T Avery BY M7;

Aug. 25, 1953 H. T. AVERY 2,650,027

KEYBOARD INTERLOCK Filed May 5 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FLE E INVENTORflaw/d Z" A very Patented Aug. 25, 1953 KEYBOARD IN TERLOCK Harold T.Avery, Oakland, Calif., assignor to Marchant Calculators, Inc., acorporation of California Application May 5, 1951, Serial No. 224,706

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to calculating machines having a key-setkeyboard such as disclosed in the Patent No. 2,216,659, issued October1, 1940, and has particular reference to improved mechanisms forpreventing clearance of any selected orders of the keyboard either bythe keyboard clear key or by the automatic clearing mechanism. Theinvention also contemplates the provision of means for overcoming theclearance preventing means to cause clearance of any one or more ordersof the keyboard or to clear the entire keyboard.

Values are introduced in a key-set calculating machine by depressingselected value keys which are retained in depressed position and thenautomatically released as an incident to a single cycle actuation of thenumeral wheels initiated by the plus or minus keys. The entire keyboardmay also be cleared by a master keyboard clear key, or an erroneouslydepressed value key may be released either by depressing another valuekey in the same column or by depressing a column clear key.

According to the present invention a factor is locked in the keyboard byholding a combination clear or lock key in depressed position while thevalue which is to be locked is entered into the keyboard after which theclear or lock key is released. This disables the keyboard releasemechanism with respect to the locked value keys so that neither thesubsequent depression of the clear or lock key nor the operation of theautomatic release mechanism is effective to release the locked keys.

After a factor is locked in the keyboard other value keys may bedepressed, these keys being merely latched in depressed position andadapted to be released by the keyboard clear or lock key, or by theautomatic release mechanism during a calculation, while retaining theconstant factor in locked condition.

It will be evident that a single depression of the clear or lock keyserves first to release the keys which have been merely latched indepressed position, and additionally, to lock the value entry keys whichare depressed while the clear or lock key is held depressed. Ordinalclear keys are provided which release a key from either latched orlocked condition and a master unlock key is provided to release all ofthe keys regardless of whether they are in latched or locked condition.

A factor may also be locked in the keyboard by holding the values keysin depressed position during a single addition or subtraction operation,thus disabling the keyboard clear mecha- 2 nism to prevent release ofthese keys during subsequent additions or subtractions as is describedhereinafter.

A main object of the invention is to improve the factor lockingmechanism of a calculating machine.

Another object is to release a locked factor by depressing a masterunlock key.

Another object is to unlock selected orders of a locked factor bydepressing respective ordinal clear keys.

Still another object is to lock a factor in the keyboard by holding thevalues keys in depressed position during a plus or minus calculation.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdetailed description of the invention, in which:

Fig. 1 is a right side View showing the rightmost order of the keyboardtogether with the keyboard clear or lock key and related mechanisms.

Fig. 2 is a right side view ShOWiIlgan ordinal clear key and a fragmentof the key section associated therewith.

Fig. 3 is a right side view showing the unlock key and associateddevices.

Fig. 4 is a right side view showing a value entry key and the clear orlock key in depressed position with mechanism operable by these keys todisable the ordinal clearing mechanism for the depressed value entrykey.

Fig. 5 is a right side view of the plus and minus keys and associateddevices for operating the keyboard clearing mechanism.

Value entry mechanism The value entering mechanism includes ordinal rowsof keys I00 (Fig. 1) and associated mechanisms, one order of which isshown, and by means of which the numeral wheel actuators (not shown) areadjusted in accordance with the values selected. Briefly, the depressionof a key I00 moves an associated ordinal selection bar I20 toward theright a number of increments corresponding to the value of the keydepressed, the bar I20 rocking a lever I32 counterclockwise aproportional amount and through a gear segment I38 rotating a factorindicator numeral Wheel I40 to display the value selected. At the sametime, a second gear segment I 39 on lever I32 rotates a gear I5! to setan actuator adjustment control mechanism in accordance with the valueselected.

In each order the keys I00 are mounted for up and down sliding movementin a channel frame IOI (see also Fig. 2) fixed to the transverse machineframes I08 and I69. A latching slide ill similar to a slide bearing thesame reference number in the Patent No. 2,216,659, and urged to theright by a spring l I8, is provided with each row of keys for holding akey in depressed position. A lug H6 is formed on each keystem N33 forcooperation with the slide and when a key is depressed the lug firstmoves the slide toward the right against the tension of spring H8 untilthe lug is depressed below the slide, whereupon the slide snaps backover the lug and holds the key depressed.

The depression of a key Hi moves a selection bar I (Fig. 1) toward theright by an amount representative of the value of the key, the bar beingsuspended from the channel frame Hit by means of parallel links I28 andI29 and having ten V shaped notches I30 terminating in U shaped notches13: adapted to receive the bottoms of the keystems. The spacing betweenadjacent notches I3] is slightly less than the spacing between thekeystems with each notch I?! lying spaced a number of increments fromits keystem corresponding to the value of the key; therefore, depressionof the number 1 key, through impingement of the key upon therightrnostshoulder of the V shaped notch I31}, cams the selection barI20 one increment toward the right, while depression of the 9 key camsthe selection bar nine increments toward the right. The latching or" akey depressed position by the latching slide l 'il causes the bottom ofthe keystern to hold the selection bar in its adjusted position, andthrough mechanism includin gear Hi, the bar I20 adjusts an actuatorassociated therewith in accordance with the value of the key depressed.

An erroneously depressed key I!!!) may be released by depression "ofanother value key 1 to 9 in the same row thus causing the lug H6 of thesecond key to move the latching slide ill toward the right to effectrelease of the erronecuslydepressed key before latching down the secondkey. The zero key I00 (Fig. 2) also carries a lug H6 for moving theslide Ill to its release position but this key cannot be latched indepressed position since the slide Ill carries 'a downwardly bent lip H9which extends below the top of the lug 1 l6 of the zero key even whenthe latter is in depressed position thus preventing the slide fromsnapping back over the lug. The'zero key [09 therefore serves only torelease any depressed key in its respective order. The value keys 1 to 9are released from the latching slides Ill during actuation initiated bythe plus and minus keys, as is explained hereinafter.

The parts bearing the reference numerals Hill to Hi and 146 to 864 areshown and described in the last 'men'tioned Patent No. 2,216,659;whereas, the parts bearing the reference numerals 300 359 are'ne'w inthe present specification. For a more detailed description of theoperation of the'old parts referred'to in the present disclosurereference is made to the above patent.

Keyboard" clear or lock key The keyboard clear or lock key 3M (Figs. 1and 4) serves two purposes: (1) it releases all keys 100 which have beenlatched in depressed position, and (2) if key 300 is held depressedwhile a value is entered into the keyboard, the value keys [00 arelocked in depressed position in such a manner that subsequent depressionof the key 300 is ineffective to release the locked keys; therefore,when some of the keys Hill are in locked condition and others are merelyin latched condition, the depression of the clear key 300 releases onlythe latched keys.

Key 300 is guided for up and down sliding movement by means of a fixedpin 302 residing within a slot 303 out in the keyste'm 304. Additionalsupport is provided for key 300 by a lever, not shown, but similar to alever 3116 (Fig. 3), pivotally connected to the framework of themachine. A spring 301 connected to lever 30B urges the key to raisedposition.

Reverting again to the clear or lock key 360 and its function ofreleasing the keys ltll which have been latched in depressed position bythe latching slide ill, the clear or lock key carries a roller 310(Fig. 1) which overlies a finger 3H, laterally offset from a lever 3l2pivotally mounted to the framework at 313 and spring urged in acounterclockwise direction. The upper end of lever 3L2 has a pivotalconnection 3M with one end of a link 315, which is pivotally connectedat its other end to an upstanding arm 316 of a transverse bail 311. Thebail 3H is pivotally mounted at opposite ends upon the framework of themachines as at MS and has a plurality of ordinarily arranged extensions319 each of which underlies a respective ordinal release lever 320. Eachrelease lever 320 is pivotally mounted upon a respective ordinal channelframe it! at 32! and has a camming surface 322 underlying an ear 323projecting laterally from the latching slide H1. It will be obvious thatupon depression of the clear or lock key 3% the roller 3m rocks thefinger 3H clockwise as seen in Fig. {and through link 315 and arm 3E6rocks bail it'll clockwise, thus causing extensions 319 to rock therelease levers 32E! counterclockwise. At such time the *camming surface322 on the release lever moves the ear 323 and the latching slide H!toward the right to release any depressed key Hill. When the notch 324in lever 3261 becomes aligned with ear 323, the ear snaps into the notchto hold the lever in its raised position when the extensions 3!!! returnto the initial position shown in Fig. 1, upon'release of the'key 300.

The depression of key 30 0 therefore clears the keyboard and also locksthe release levers 320 in what is termed hereinafter as a disabled"position. The release levers each remain in disabled position untila'key we is subsequently'depressed which. moves the latching slide H1toward the right to effect release of an associated lever 32D,*after'which the slide snaps back over the lug H6 and latches thedepressed key I00 in dep'res'sed'pos'ition. y

when a release lever '32tstands in disabled'position as shown in Fig.'4, 'a torsion spring 321 having one end co'nne'cte'd'to an'ear 328 onlever 3'20 and theothe'r end 329 projecting through a hole'in'the lever'32U,"ifs,compressed through contact 6f itsfupp'er end :29 with theunderside'of the channel frame fill. The spring "32'! insures thepromptfreturn ofthe release lever "3 20 to'its initlai'positie when'itisreleased'from'the slide satay following concerns the manner in whichthe key13'0p'is used in looking a factorin the keyboard. 'Th e latterobjective is accomplished by holding key 309 depressed while thefacto'r-which is to be locked in the keyboard is entered therein. It will beobvious that as long as key 300 is held depressed, the extensions 3I9hold the release levers 320 in the disabled positions shown in Fig. 4.In this condition of the parts, the depression of any value key I andthe consequent reciprocation of its slide II1 during depression of thevalue key merely moves ear 323 out of and back into engagement withnotch 324 to hold lever 320 in its disabled position and at the sametime the slide II1 locks the key I00 in depressed position. Since thereleaselever is locked in disabled position, the subsequent depressionof the clear or lock key 300 and the rocking of the clear bail 3I1 isineffective to rock the disabled release lever and does not release thekey I50 from what is termed hereinafter a locked condition. Thearrangement described above is provided in each order, and therefore anyone or more keys may be locked in depressed position.

After a factor is locked in the keyboard, key 300 is released and if itis then desired to enter other values into the keyboard, the secondentry is made without holding the key 300 depressed,

thus merely latching down the second set of keys. The latched keyscomprising the second entry may subsequently be released by depressionof the clear key 300 without effecting release of the locked factor.

Obviously, the depression of the 0 key I09 in each order and theconsequent reciprocation of its respective latching slide II1 releasesany depressed key I00 in its order regardless of whether it is inlatched or locked condition and at the same time permits the disabledrelease lever 32!) to return to the position in Fig. 1. The separatedepression of each ordinal clear key I00 to clear the entire keyboard,however, would require excessive time and elfort, and therefore thesimplified means described immediately below are provided forsimultaneously releasing all depressed keys I00 regardless of whetherthey are in locked or latched condition.

Unlock key The unlock key 356 (Fig. 3) is supported for up and downsliding movement by means of a pin and slot arrangement 35I, 352 andalso by an extension 353 of the key which projects through a guide slot354 in the framework ofthe machine. Spring 301 urges lever 306 and key350 to raised position as previously mentioned, the pin 35I limiting theupward movement of the key. A roller 355 carried by key 350 overlies afinger 350 formed as a rearward extension of a transverse bail 359. Thebail is pivotally mounted on shaft 3I3 and a similar mounting isprovided on the opposite end of the bail which extends across and infront of the forward ends of the latching slides II1. A spring 358 urgesthe bail counterclockwise to the extent permitted by the fixed stop359a. Depression of the unlock key 350 therefore, rocks the finger 355and the bail 359 clockwise about pivot M3 and the bail moves the slidesI I1 rearwardly of the machine thus releasing all locked or latched keysI00 and permitting the disabled release levers 320 to return to theposition shown in Fig. 1.

Automatic keyboard cZear nce during addition and subtraction Depressionof the plus bar 800 (Fig. or the minus bar 860 initiates a single cycleof addition or subtraction, respectively, and also conditions mechanismsdescribed below, which are operative during the calculating cycle torock the previously mentioned lever 3I2 clockwise. This rocks the bail3I1 (Fig. 4) and the extensions 3I9 clockwise and releases all depressedkeys I00 except those in the orders wher the release levers 320 are heldin disable positions.

The depression of either the plus bar 800 or the minus bar 860 causesthe engagement of a setting, or program, clutch (not shown) in th mannerdescribed in the Patent No. 2,216,659 and which clutch is limited to asingle cycle of rotation. Means are provided under the control of thisclutch for adjusting the machine for positive or negative registration,respectively, in accordance with which key is depressed and also forlocking the numeral wheel actuators (not shown) in accordance with theprevious adjustment thereof by the value entering mechanism. The settingclutch performs other auxiliary functions, de-

scribed in the last mentioned patent, and then causes engagement of themain actuator drive clutch which remains engaged for only a single cycleof operation and drives the numeral wheels in accordance with the valuepreviously entered into the machine.

The above mentioned locking of the numeral wheel actuators in adjustedpositions permits the keyboard to be cleared of the values enteredtherein so that the next factor may be entered in the keyboard duringthe current calculatin cycle.

For this purpose a cam 141 (Fig. 5) is rotated 180 by the settingclutch, and through a follower 14%, mounted on shaft 50I, moves a link148 rearwardly of the machine, thus rocking an arm 150 and a shaft 152counterclockwise. Shaft 152 also carries a second arm 114, and when alink 119 stands in its dotted line position as described in the nextparagraph, the arm 114 engages ear 116 on the link thereby moving thelink forwardly of the machine. Link 119 is pivotally connected at 363 toan extension 3I2a of previously mentioned lever 3I2 (Fig. l) and rocksthe same clockwise in the same manner as if the clear or lock key 300had been depressed thereby releasing all value keys I00 in latchedposition but not affecting the keys I00 which are in locked condition.

Link 119 (Fig. 5) is moved to its dotted line position by depression ofthe plus and minus keys and for this purpose the plus and minus keystems8-3I and SELwhich are mounted for up and down sliding movement in aconvenient manner, have respective extensions 805 and 864 overlying apin 805 forming a pivotal connection between a lever 801 and a link 8!I. Lever 801 is pivotally connected to the framework of the machine at809 while link 8II carries a pin 118 residing within a slot 111 in thelink 119. Depression of the plus key 800 or the minus key 860 thereforeis effective through a respective keystem extendsion 805 or 864, the pin806 and link 8 to move link 119 to its dotted line position with earlying in front of the previously described arm 114. The depression ofthe plus or minus key initiates a corresponding cycle of operation andthe plus and minus key linkage is locked in operative position by means(not shown) until arm 114 has completed its counterclockwise rockingmovement to release the latched keys I00 all as is shown and describedin the previously mentioned Patent No. 2,216,659. After the keys I00 arereleased the plus and minus key linkage is released for return to theinitial position shown. The slot 111 in link 119 permits movement of thelink by the clear key 300 without affecting the pin 118 or link 8| I.

assets? -or lock key 3Mhadbeen-depressed Summary:

The calculating machine"of the present inven- "tion is provided withakeyboardinwhich a factor may be entered and lockedagain'st release sothat a constantiactor m' aybe use'd for a series of problems, This isdone in either one'of two Y ways: (1) the c1ear0r"lo'ckkey 3fi'fl isheld'depressedwhile the lockedffactor is entered, or (2) the value keysare held-depressed while the machine performs a plus orminuscalculation.

After one value is locke'din the keyboard'a :second value maybeenteredinto other portions of the keyboardand released at the end ofeach specific calculation; Suchmanipulation of" the keyboard is desired;for example,"where products are to be separately accumulated; in twodifferent parts of the register,one accumiilation resulting from aseries ofmultiplications involving a constant m'ultipl'icand factor andthe'other product resulting from a series of multiplications in whichthe m'ultiplicand changes for'each multiplication In'such a-case' thedepression of the clear key 3% at the end of a multiplication releasesthe value keys 1 tit which are"mere- 'ly latched down but -doe'snotrelease the locked keys.

After one. factor "is 1ocked inthe keyboard a ordinalclear keyyortheentire keyboard 'may be -cleared-by depressing the unIOck-key-BEB. I

Iclaim:

'1. In a calculating-machinehaving a keyboard comprising a pluralityofrows of'numeralkeys, digital actuators selectively settable-by saidkeys, selective "locking and releasing'means for "said Ikeyscompris'i-rigak'ey locking member for each row of keysandhavinga-key'locking and'a key 8 o releasin -poetics; spring meansif rurging; said member to its key locking position, a deviceassociat'edwith eachmember movable from a f rst to a" second positionand operableduring such movement-t move sai -member to key releasinpositionand thereafter to release the member for movement to its lockingposition by said spring means, means common to all of-said de-' vices to'rnove 'the latter to their second positions, a control key forinitiating operation of saiddigital actuators, mechanism responsive todepression of said key to 'operate said" common means, and retainingmeans including a" part of said member and apart of 'said'de'viceoperable upon the movement of the device to its second positionto retainthe device in said second position.

2 In a calculating machine-having a keyboard comprising a plurality ofrows of numeral keys,

digital 'actuators selectively-settable said keys,

selective locking and releasing means for said keys comprising thecombination of a key'locking member in eachrow' of keys having a keylocking and a key releasing position, spring meansfor urging saidmemb'er'to its key locking position, a device associated with eachmember, means for moving each member to key release position, said meanscomprising acaniining'surface on" each device and a projection on eachmember operable during the movementpf the device from a first to asecond position to move said member to key release position, mfeanscommon to all of said devices to move the latter to their secondpositions, a control keyfor initiating operation of the digitalactuators, an operating connection established by' depression of saidcontrol key to control operation of said common means, and retainingmeansincludin'g said projection on the key locking member and a shoulderadjacent said cam'ming 'surfaceon thedevice operable in res'pon'se'tomovementof the device to its'second position to retain the deviceout ofthe range of the releasing movement of'the common means. U I

HAROLD "r. AVERY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES Panic-rsNumber Name Date 1,906,063 Hilder' Apr. 25,- 1933 2,216,659- Avery Oct.1, 1940 2,350,979 Avery et a1. June 13, 1944 2,390,041 Avery et a1. Dec.4, 1945

